In communication networks, data packet flows comprising data packets can be employed for the transmission of data between an originator and a recipient. The transmission of data may relate to the sending and/or receiving of the data. Differentiated handling of various data packet flows may be used to distinguish between different classes of data traffic. The different classes of data traffic may be mapped by a certain classification of the data packet flow.
Based on the classification of the data packet flow, it is possible to keep track and monitor the exchange of data via data packet flows in the communications network. In dependence of the classification, it is also possible to apply a policy to the data packet flow which relates to, e.g., charging and/or forwarding rules. This allows to tailor the transmission of a particular data packet flow by applying of a policy. For example, a forwarding treatment of data packets of the data packet flow, i.e., the manner of forwarding a data packet on the way towards the recipient, may be controlled to provide a certain Quality of Service (QoS) level which depends on the classification of the data packet flow.
It is possible that the communications network is configured according to the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) architecture. In such a scenario, the above-mentioned techniques of differentiated handling of data packet flows are inter-alia known in the context of the so-called Policy and Charging Control (PCC) architecture according to the 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 23.203.
However, such techniques as mentioned above may face certain restrictions. For example, the classification of the data packet flow may be subject to errors and uncertainties. For example, a data packet flow may be falsely classified. As a result, a certain policy may be inadvertently applied to the data packet flow in dependence of the falsely classified data packet flow. This may degrade operation reliability of the communications network.
Therefore, a need exists to provide advanced techniques of classifying of a data packet flow. In particular, a need exists for such techniques which are more reliable.